III

Rudolph was the reigning Duke of the German State of Gerolstein.  While he was a boy a Scotch adventuress, Lady Sarah MacGregor, and her brother, Sir Thomas Seyton, had appeared in the little German court and begun an intrigue that resulted in a secret marriage between Sarah and Rudolph.  The old duke, then alive, on hearing of this annulled the marriage.  To his son he gave a letter from Sarah to her brother, betraying her cold-blooded ambitions.  The young prince’s love had frozen.  Sarah gave birth to a child in England, whither she had fled.  To all Rudolph’s appeals for this child she gave no answer.  She had turned it over to Jacques Ferrand, a notary in Paris.  Six years later he reported the child’s death, and both parents believed their unhappy daughter to be dead, though she was, in fact, the unfortunate Fleur-de-Marie.

It was Sarah who now, having learned of Rudolph’s presence in Paris, had hurried hither to seek an interview with him, hoping to effect a reconciliation, now that the old Grand Duke was dead and Rudolph sovereign Prince of Gerolstein.  Rudolph was known for his fondness for strange adventures, and Lady Sarah had hoped to catch him during one of his visits to the lower quarters of the city, seeking any aid, however low.

Rudolph, grateful to the Slasher for saving his life, presented him with an estate in Algiers; and the following day he set out for Algeria.

Rudolph was determined to find the son of Mrs. George, the unfortunate wife of the Schoolmaster.  He had saved her from starvation and he meant to satisfy the great longing that still possessed her, but for some while he had no real success.

Meanwhile, unknown to Rudolph, a misfortune had come to Fleur-de-Marie.  While on a visit to a neighbouring farm one evening she was suddenly seized by Screech-Owl and the blind Schoolmaster and carried off to Paris.  They forced an oath of secrecy from her and liberated her near a police station.  Screech-Owl then informed the police that a vagrant had passed down the street, and Fleur-de-Marie was arrested and sent to St Lazare.  A forged note was sent to Mrs. George, appearing to be signed by Rudolph.  Fleur-de-Marie’s abduction had been caused by Sarah, who, believing Rudolph too much interested in her, decided to rid herself of a possible rival.  Screech-Owl was her tool.

Rudolph learned of Germain’s address through a second-hand dealer who had bought his furniture.  He was employed as cashier in the office of a notary, Jacques Ferrand.  Rudolph had heard evil reports of this man, though he was highly respected and known as a pious man.  When Rudolph finally attempted to communicate with Germain he learned that the young man had been accused of theft from notary Ferrand and imprisoned.

Screech-Owl conceived of a scheme to blackmail the notary Ferrand.  His housekeeper, ten years before, had turned over to her a child which she was to care for in consideration of one thousand francs.  She obtained an interview with Ferrand, but he denied all knowledge of the child.